Next weekend Curiosity blasts off for Mars, watched by the #CSIROTweetup (inc me!) - so why is exploring Mars so important?

Mars is one of several big enigmas in our solar system. As a planet that has already 'been there - done that', can it shed light on our own future? And our past?

Questions like this are why the new bigger Mars rover Curiosity is such an important mission. The size of a Mini Minor compared to the Spirit and Opportunity go-kart sized rovers, Curiosity with be able to go further and learn more.

And while the previous rovers have performed outstandingly, lasting for years instead of months, Curiosity is nuclear-powered, so will avoid the dust problems that plagued Spirit and Opportunity, with their solar power panels.

Take two minutes to look through this good summary at Space.com as to the mysteries that lie at the other end of Curiosity's one-way mission - starting at 2.00am next Sunday morning.

And here's an insight into the dramas they had just getting this $1 billion "ve-hiccel" from JPL in California to the launch site in Florida: